The Chief Guardian

There is a Chief Guardian or a Chief Guardian Board in every municipality. All guardians (förmyndare), special representatives (god man) and administrators (förvaltare) are under the supervision of the Chief Guardian.

About help with personal and other matters

The court can appoint a special representative or an administrator to help a person who, due to illness, mental disturbance, poor health or similar circumstances, cannot take care of his or her personal, financial or legal matters him- or herself, but only if the individual cannot receive help in another, less intrusive manner, for example from a relative, through bank services or the Social Services. The appointed person monitors rights and makes sure that the individual receives the help needed.

About special representatives (god man)

A special representative cannot be appointed without the consent of the individual and the main rule is that the individual must also consent to the special representative acting in his or her place. If the individual cannot consent to either due to illness or another of the aforementioned conditions, this must be confirmed by a doctor’s certificate.

About administrators (förvaltare)

The difference between an administrator and a special representative is mainly that the administrator can be appointed without the consent of the individual and that the administrator can also act on behalf of the individual without consent.

About guardianship (förmynderskap)

The Chief Guardian supervises all guardians, including parents. The parent is normally the child’s custodian (vårdnadshavare) and guardian (förmyndare). The guardians manage the child’s property themselves to a large extent, but if the child’s assets exceed eight base amounts, more stringent regulations enter into effect. Certain legal transactions involving a child’s property may also need the permission of the Chief Guardian or sometimes a specially appointed guardian.

Unaccompanied minors

The Chief Guardian Board appoints special representatives to minors asylum seeking, who arrive in Sweden without a custodian. The special representative ensures that the child’s personal and all other interests are taken care of while the application for a permanent residency permit is processed by the Migration Board. If the child is granted a permanent residency permit, the court will appoint a special custodian. If a permit is not granted, the special representative for the child remains by the child until the child has left Sweden.

The Chief Guardian’s Office

Further information is provided by the Chief Guardian’s Office in Mölndal:031-315 18 80ofs@molndal.se